Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1887-05-21

Whom we cannot prudently quote in
full, censures with considerable sever
ity the inconsistent conduct of labor
leaders," Straining his letter of all
harshness, he wants to know, in short,
'how certain blacklisted men can har-
monize their record in 1887 with their
stand in 1892"
The JOURNAL, Which is not given to
hypocritical professions of friendship
for the workingman, but inspired by
the hard, cold fact that it is one
with him under the universal curse,
begs to suggest IN behalf of those
unfortunate brethren who have fallen
under our correspondents displeasure,
that times change, manners undergo
notifications, and opinions turn SOM
ersault. Nothing visible is immutable
save old earth and the fixed galaxies
on high. Five years ago the issues
were IN no 'espect identical with those
OF this year, no more than our opinion
OF the weather yesterday was the same
as our judgment Of the weather to-day.
This is not because the constitution
of the mind changes, but because
circumstances alter cases."
Five years ago we harbored, fed, and
petted the runaway notions that the
Georges Creek region was 'the earth"
and coal "the fulness thereof" )" more
over, that we were its masters. We
worked our assemblies by constitu-
ton pompous as the Pandects of
Justinian, and ran the mines according
to bylaws infexible as the statutes of
the Medes and Persians.
We do not entertain those fugitive
tancles now.
Why?
Because it was ascertaiued that the
world moved on in its business course
as we'll as in its diurnal and aunular
paths, whether we moved or not. 1t
was the old, old story of the fly on the
cart-whecl told again.
We were Il long while climbing to
the summit of those heights absurd,
but We finally got there. Once up, we
did not seem to suspect any mistake
about our royalty, any error concern
ing our full fellowship in the third
degree with the ruling powers of the
other planets.
Vestiges Of the idiosyncrasy deposed
in 1882 came down to Us as late as a
year ago, and even this spring one of
them, bare skeleton of former daft
ness, put in the mere shadow of an
appearance.
The lesson had been taught mean
while that our assumption Of control of
other peoples property was usurpation
most dire, most un-American, and the
evidences multiplied that the owners
Of these lands, now teachers Of these
people, would never abandon their lost
rights regained in 1882. At the same
time, by a most dextrous coup d etat.
lately cOnsummated after long, earnest,
costly endeayor, the employers have
transferred their fight directly to the
consumers. This changed the battle
ground also. Heretofore the fire has
ragged around our own doorways here
after, If ever, it will give the consumers
u taste Of flame.
In any issue between the consumers
and US us to wages, however, the com.
panies must almost certainly take our
side. Their interest lies with ours.
In fact, they have formed with us an
"alliance offensive and defensive"
against the host who demand this coal
at prices below its intrinsic worth, and
at figures alike Improbable to the
owners and incommensurate to the
needs of the miners.
If there was ever real unfriendliness
between companies and men it should
exist no longer. On our part the ben
efclarles Of a compact which We had
no part in making there is everything
to inspire amity, nothing to excite
reproach everything to awaken faith
in this period as the beginning of a
solid and durable prosperity, nothing
to occasion fear that the agitator,
native or foreign to the region, shall
ever again obtain command of our
prejudices and use them as thongs to
lash our judgment and conscience into
subjection, our business and property
into wOrthlessness, and our families
into starvation.
This is the situation. 1t is generally
understood, for the JOURNAL has taken
some pains TO proclaim the truth from
the housetops. All knowing the vast
Improvement made upon the situation
Of 1882, even 1856, why should there
be a resurrection of hateful bygones ?
In the light and under the protection
Of Il compact which guarantees work
at prices that can be obtained in no
other way, why should dead issues,
raised by dead men, be again galvan-
lied into life?